Thousand Son in Equestria, part 7 (Prodigal Son P1)

>For the first time in a millenium, you can feel the tight fit of your armor.
>You can smell the stale stench of recycled oxygen.
>You can feel your hearts beat in your chest.
>You are Anonymous, and you are alive.
>And with the aid of your six best friends, you are going to kill a God of Chaos.
>One of your friends, Rarity, leans her head over your shoulder to, you assume, whine again.
>"Anonymous, can you slow down, for Celestia's sake! This isn't exactly comfortable!"
>You have the white unicorn in a makeshift firemare's carry, both of her marshmellow white forelimbs wrapped around your armored neck.
>You injured her when you were under Discord's...control. It is the least you can do for one of the creatures who gave you back your life, your purpose.
"Rarity, when I offered to simply carry you under my arm, you called it 'undignified' and refused. It is either this, or I drag you through the air like levitated luggage."
>She 'harrumphs' as you and the other five ponies make your way through the streets of Ponyville.
>You've been searching diligently with Twilight's magic and your own spells, looking for Discord, that trickster god, so you can drive a sword through his misshapen skull.


>Twilight Sparkle, your unicorn friend, trots up to you, looking up at you with worry in her purple eyes.
>"Anonymous, we've checked nearly everywhere in Ponyville! Discord could be anywhere by now!"
"He will be here, Twilight. Trust me."
>"Anonymous, you know..you know we do. But the Princesses, they're in danger! We can't just chase after Discord and leave them in mortal peril!"
>You look at Twilight squarely, shifting Rarity on your back to improve her comfort as you shift your head.
>Half of the Ponyville has been bathed in the light of a second sun for the past hour. Celestia's signature burns in every beam of that blessed light.
>Another section of Ponyville has been smothered in darkness and silence. Only darkness lies there in your eyes and in your senses. Two beings, tainted by Chaos, clash within that shadow, but you cannot tell who is who, or if it's even two beings at all, and that worries you.
"Twilight. I have encountered your mentor before. She will be able to hold her own, that much I promise you. You ponies are much more resilient than one would give you credit for."
>Rainbow Dash chuckles from her hovering position at your shoulder.
>Dash was the one who had stopped you from killing Twilight, performing some trick she called a "Sonic Rainboom" and bucking your old Rubric-tainted body in the eye.
>Dash assures you it was awesome, but you cannot remember it.
>Twilight stomps on the ground, petulant.
>"Anonymous, that's great, but that doesn't answer the most important question! Why are you so sure Discord is here?"
>Because you know daemons, is the answer you want to give.
>I used to think like one, your new tongue burns to say.
>But you know that is not the answer you can give. It is not the one they will understand.



"Twilight."
>"What, Anonymous, what!?"
"What did Discord do when he bro-when he was freed?"
>Your voice is as cold and cruel as a winter wind, and Twilight eyes you warily.
>"He...did what he did to Sweetie, Applebloom, and Scootaloo."
>You can feel Applejack's glare on your broad back.
>You do not blame her for it. Your blood (it is so strange to have blood after so long!) boils as you think about what happened to those poor children.
>You know the Gifts of the Gods are curses, for those who aren't ready to recieve them.
"He did what he did, Twilight, to hurt you. He is a monster of Chaos, and you have thwarted him once before. Upon his release, the only thought in his mind was vengeance."
>Applejack snorts from behind you, and trots her way closer.
>"He ain't the only one thinkin' that way. Not anymore."
>You aren't sure whether she means you or Discord.
>It does not matter.
>You will do penance for your crimes.
>But first you will rip that daemon's still-beating heart from his chest.



>Twilight still does not understand. But the other ponies are starting to. Pinkie Pie looks up at you in sudden fear, her blue eyes bright and wet.
>Rarity shifts upon your back, and Fluttershy gives out a whimper from behind you.
"He will strike at what you care for the most. I am waiting for which one of you he picks to suffer. And then we will destroy him."
>Pinkie Pie looks is still looking up at you in sudden fear. You swear to Tzeentch you can see her hair...deflating.
>"Anonymous....he wouldn't hurt the Cakes, would he? They have...they have two foals!"
>The red-tinted glare of your helmet gives nothing away to Pinkie.
>Behind it, your eyes are tight with repressed rage.
>You saw enough children die when Prospero burned.
>No crime in this galaxy or the next warrants the suffering of children.
>Twilight's eyes widen as she gets it.
>"Oh no....Spike! The library!"
>She turns and starts running, her friends staring after her in shock.


"TWILIGHT, WAIT!"
>Your vox-augmented voice booms out after her, but the unicorn does not slow.
>You hear a chuckle in your mind from the warp, and you curse inwardly.
>Discord was just waiting for one of you to break. Then he'd turn you on each other.
>You knew that. That's how daemons worked.
"Pinkie, Rainbow, Fluttershy, Applejack, keep up with me! Rarity, hold on tight!"
>You take off after Twilight like a shot from a cannon, your power-armored legs driving divots into Ponyville's streets as you slam your feet down.
>You see the unicorn rush inside the library, and the door slams shut in front of your face, a chaotic aura of magic surrounding it.
>You do not slow, pausing only to speak to Rarity.
"Close your eyes."
>Anonymous, you aren-"
"CLOSE YOUR WARP-DAMNED EYES."
>She gasps, before squeezing her eyes shut and holding on to your neck tighter.
>You lower your shoulder and slam into the magic-reinforced library door.
>Against a five ponies, that door would have been impregnable.
>But you are Astartes.
>The door shatters like an egg, splinters and glass flying outward as you crash through it into the library beyond.
>The sight that greets you sends you skidding to a stop.


>Discord stands before you, a smug grin on his misshapen face.
>A single eagle talon is held poised above the scaly forehead of a slumbering Spike.
>Twilight stands in the entrance, frozen in terror.
>Discord speaks first.
>"Ah-ha! So the prodigal Son returns! And not cast in stone, I see! Such a shame. I find that being submerged in rock does wonders for the skin!"
>You pull your sword. You can hear your hearts beating in your ears, every muscle in your body screaming for this creature's end.
>"Ah-ah-ah. Not so fast! Or little 'Spikey-Wikey' here gets a sudden...attitude adjustment."
>He directs the last at the cringing Rarity hanging around your neck. Twilight turns and looks at you, begging with her eyes if not her voice.
>You restrain yourself, and Discord continues.
>"Ah, yes, Miss Rarity. This little dragon is quite enamored with you, did you know? The Crusaders, they wanted purpose, and I gave it to them. Spike here, all he wants is to be there for you. To be big and strong enough so that maybe...just maybe, you'll notice him."
>His smirk widens into a grin.
>"What do you think, Rarity? Should I give the little tyke what he wants?"
>Discord lowers his finger, and Rarity gives a desperate gasp.
>The draconequus smiles, lifting his finger away just as slowly.
>"I take it that's a no, then, Rarity? Well then, if you're so adamant about me giving Spike his greatest wish, I suppose I'll have to take something else."
>His grin is monstrous, a glowing crescent of curved teeth.
>"Remove the Elements of Harmony. Toss them to me."


>Twilight shouts at Discord, just as Fluttershy, Rainbow, Pinkie, and AJ make their way inside.
>"Never! Not in a million years, Di-"
"Do what he says, Twilight."
>Twilight turns to look at you, shock and despair on her face.
>Discord laughs.
>"Very good, Anonymous! Even after a blast by those pesky elements, Chaos still rules your mind! You've made a wise decision."
>You carefully lower yourself close to the ground, so that Rarity can slowly make her way off you.
>Her eyes are wide and sad, and tears are trapped in the corners of her eyes.
>"Anonymous, why? Why would you do thi-"
"Just do what Discord says, Rarity. He's won. Chaos, as always, has triumphed over order. He has given you an offer you cannot refuse, not for the sake of the dragon. I was once faced with a similar choice, as were all my Legion. In time, you will come to accept it."
>The tears come now, and you gently lift the blue necklace from around her throat, as the others look on in horror.
>You hold it in your hand as you look over to Twilight.
"For Spike."
>She gulps, tears in her eyes.
>"For Spike."
>Careful levitation lifts the giant tiara off of her head, and she lowers it at the feet of Discord. The tossed necklace follows it.
>He sweeps up the artifacts in his lion paw, leaning his head back and roaring with laughter at his victory.
>Which means his eyes are closed when you give him a sweeping uppercut to the throat.


>The draconequus chokes, his eyes bulging as your genehanced strike breaks his lower jaw.
"I told you already."
>The elements fall free from his paw and he staggers, even as he heals.
>He opens his mouth to speak, but you do not give him the opportunity.
"I."
>Your fist comes around again, ceramite-clad knuckles slamming into the Chaos God's eye.
"am not."
>He yowls and takes a step back as you thrust out with your free hand, sending a spike of psy-lightning into his chest.
>Discord roars in fury at your impudent assault, striking back with a sweep of his eagle claw, the talons ablaze with warp energies.
>You duck the strike, whirling under it until you bring your force sword upwards, through his lower jaw until the tip erupts from his head in a spray of warp-power and god-blood.
"A SLAVE."
>His eyes burn as he furiously works his jaw, his eagle hand darting to your forehead.
>The message in those eye is clear.
>"Not yet, you're not."


>The hand strikes your forehead, chaos magic seeking to twist your mind once again.
>It seeks to gain purchase in your mind, to sink it's talons into your consciousness, but it is rebuffed each time.
>The memory of your friends as they fought for you, even as you fought to slay them.
>The memory of your first breath in over a millennia, breath granted you by xenos who had every reason to fear and hate you.
>These memories, this friendship, this....magic repels Discord's power with contemptuous ease.
>You slide the sword from his mouth and slam the weapon home in his chest, charging the Chaos God and slamming into the opposite wall, leaving him impaled on the library's wall. You withdraw your blade, flicking it to clean it of the blood there, before answering the silent retort Discord's eyes hold.
"Not now, Discord, not EVER."
>He burbles and chuckles, warp magic and blood dripping from his pony-like lips.
>"What...what do you think you're going to do, Anonymous? You are nothing but an insect, mortal and fleeting! You have hurt me, sure, I'll give you that. But I'm a GOD, Anonymous! You've done nothing."
>You withdraw, sword still in hand.
"Not quite true, Discord. I did something."
>You draw to one side of him, revealing your six friends, already floating in the air as they drew upon the magic of friendship.
"I distracted you."
>There is a roar in the air, thunder without sound, as the great rainbow wave flows from the Element bearers and strikes the screaming Discord.
>Light grows outward in a sphere, driving away all sight, all sound, as the Elements do their work.


>The light clears, and you lower your hands from your helmet.
>Standing before you, frozen in a grimace of pain and shock, is a statue of Discord, both paws clutched to a hole in his gullet.
>Your friends sink to the ground behind you, exhausted with the effort of using the elements twice in one day.
>Twilight pants as she struggles to speak to you.
>"Anonymous....don't....scare...me...like that. I....worried."
>You nod your head, not unkindly. You cannot blame her for your worry. After all, less than an hour ago, you almost choked her to death.
"It's alright, Twilight. I knew you had to be convincing, otherwise I'd never get in close enough to strike him. He would have just sent me hurling into the air or turned me inside out or some other maddening thing."
>Pinkie Pie speaks up next, just as tired as Twilight.
>"Never...doubted you....for a second...Anonymous."
>You smile behind your helmet. That's it. The first thing you're going to do with your new body, once this is all over, is eat one of Pinkie's cupcakes.
"I think, after all this, that Anon will be enough, for you, my friends."
>The ponies look up at you with heartwarming grins, and you return it with one of your own behind the helmet.
>Only Applejack gives you a glare of unhapiness, and you cannot blame her.
>You are just as angry at yourself as she is at you.
>This is not over yet. Especially not for you and Applejack.
>You need to know that Applebloom's okay.
>Only then will you rest.


>Applejack gets to her hooves first,glaring at you.
>"Alright. We got Discord. We got ya back in yer right mind. Now mah sister. How do we fix her!?"
>You had been dreading this question.
>But you will not lie to Applejack. Not now. Not after what you've been through.
"Applejack....what has happened to Applebloom....she's transcended, to become a...power. A creature that exists both as a being and a concept, like your Princesses, but less potent. And, where I come from, my....homeland, if you will, that transformation is not reversible."
>She slams her front hooves against your leg, fury in her gaze.
>"That's no where NEAR bucking good 'enuff of an answer, Anonymous, and you know it!"
>You lean down, getting on one knee so that you only tower above Applejack, instead of eclipsing her.
"Applejack, all I am telling you is that the powers I know of cannot fix Applebloom.Which means it would be best if we tried the Elements. I give my word as an Athenean, as an Astartes and as a Son of Magnus, I shall not rest until your sister is returned to you."
>The earth pony farmer looks up to you, her green eyes meeting your red helmet lenses. Neither of you are backing down.
>The tense standoff is broken as Rainbow Dash coughs, having recovered from her exhaustion to start hovering in the air.
>"Well we aren't gonna save AB, Scoots, and Sweetie by standing around and yelling at each other, APPLEJACK."
>AJ blushes, before coughing herself.
>"I...uh...I don't know 'xactly what all those words mean, Anonym-Anon, but I'll hold ya to 'em."
"That's all I ask, Applejack."


>The other ponies get to their hooves as you move over to assist Rarity.
>She awkwardly climbs onto your back again, clasping her hooves around your neck.
"Come now, Mamzel Rarity, all aboard the Astartes train. We don't have time to waist."
>You can't see her face, but you are quite sure she is scowling.
>Frankly, mare, you just don't give a damn.
>"You know, this leaves me in a great position to start WHINING in your ear."
>You stand up, rising to your full eight foot height.
"Mamzel, your leg is already hurt. I don't think you should add a five foot drop on top of that."
>Ah, Tzeentch, you can feel the glare on your neck as Pinkie giggles and Twilight gives you a harsh look.
>Right, now is not the time for levity.
>You leave the library at a brisk stride, searching the sky and the Warp for any more chaotic emissions.
>To your disappointment, you can still feel them, three chaotic presences at work in Ponyville.
>And one of them emits nothing but rage and loathing.
"I've found Applebloom. Come closer, my friends. I will transport us to her, and hopefully those artifacts of yours will have a greater effect in person."
>The ponies all gather around and lay their hooves on you, and with a crackle of warp power, you are gone.


>You and your friends re-materialize in a dark alleyway at Ponyville's outskirts.
>Shadows cloak the alley, as if night had fallen in this section of Ponyville.
>Immediately, you spot the crimson form of Daemon prince Applebloom, lying haphazardly against an alley wall
>She is breathing heavily, one of her wings bent out of shape. The wounded appendage snaps itself back into place even as you watch, the innate resilience of daemonhood kicking in.
>Her amber eyes do not even noticed you, both of them fixated on another equine figure at the opposite end of the alley.
"THA....THA WAS JUST A WARM-UP. WE AIN'T DONE YET. I WILL HAVE LAST BLOOD!"
>Applebloom roars and shouts at the slient figure as it glides into view.
>An alicorn, black as night with stars for a mane, glares balefully at Applebloom, the ponies, and you as it steps into sight. Glowing blue eyes, like a snake's eyes, train themselves on you as it approaches.
>You hear gasps of shock and surprise from behind you as you raise your blade to a guarded position.
>The creature before you is...familiar in a few ways, but Chaos bleeds from it like it does from Applebloom.
>"WHAT IS THIS? MORE OF SISTER'S SLAVES, COME TO HUMBLE THEMSELVES BEFORE THEIR TRUE RULER?"
>Applebloom takes notice of you for the first time, roaring and turning her helmed head towards you and your friends.
>Rarity, eloquent as always, speaks up first.
>"....Buck."
"My sentiments exactly."
>With a roar, the two Chaos-possessed ponies hurl themselves at you.